Lawn-mower.



No. 884,651. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908. J. H. PREY.

LAWN MOWER. APPLICATION FILED JAN.10. 19o?.

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witnesses PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

J. H. PRBY.

LAWN MOWER.

PPLIOTION FILED JAN. 10, 1907.

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' To .all whom 'it may concern."-

UNITED f srArEs PATENT: oFFIcE.

JAMES HENRY FREY, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO FRANK C. l v HARDACRE, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA.4

LAWN-Momma.

No. 884,651. V

application mea January 1o, 1907. serial, No. attesa #Be it, known that I, JAMES HENRY FREY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vincennes, in the county of Knox and State of Indiana, have invented a new and f useful Lawn-Mower, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates more particularly` to manually propelled grass clippers or lawn mowers.

It is a Well known fact that the ordinary mower had broad driving wheels with the journal. spindles or fasteners for the wheels projecting beyond their outer faces, and the andles connected to the inner sides of the frame members and above the axis of rotation of the driving wheels. The result is that the ends of the cutter blades have to ,bev

spaced'some distance from the inner sides of t eframe members in order to escape the handles, al comparatively great amount of uncut grass is leftl between the ends of the blades and the outer sides of the wheels, and

. this grass is laid prostrate so that it cannot be properly cut on the succeeding swath, the machine cannot be operated to cut closely around trees and like obstructions, and in high grass, the power being applied so high, tends to tilt the mower and carrles it over the grass without cutting it.

The principal object ofthe resent invention is to-produce a mower, W erein the uncuttrack passed over by the mower is very narrow, the structure being such that it can be operated in close proximity to a tree or like obstruction without injuring the machine or the obstruction, and furthermore to apply the ower so that tilting will be entlrely avoi ed.

Other objects are to provide, novel, simple and effective driving mechanism, whichA is capable of preventing the wrapping of the grass aroun the journal cutter, and to provide novel and effective means for gaging the cut of the machine.

The referred embodiment `of the invention is lustrated in the accompanying drawin s, whereinz igure 1 is a plan view of the machine,

ortions thereof being shown in section.'

ig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with a part of the driving wheel andA associated pinion illustrated in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlargpd scale of one of the journal bearings for t e cutter shaft. Figa/1 is a Specication of 1'.|ettexs Patent.

Patented Apr-uf 14, 1908.

na bushing. F1 6 1s a sectional viewon the line 6-6 of. Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional vew on an enlarged scale of the clutch connection between the pinion and. cutter shaft. Fig. Sis. a detail sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In theembodiment illustrated, a frame is employed, com rising side members 10connected at their ront ends by'a tie rod 1 1, and at their rear ends by a plate 12, on which is ad- Vedger lade 13 of the cutting mechanism. Each'side member, is provided with an' outpered socket 15 in its outer end, and 'ournaled on each stud is a driving wheel 16. These driving wheels are narrow, as shown in Fig. 1, and have peripheral teeth 17. They are also provided with internal gear teeth 18. It will be observed, articularly by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 tiliat the outer corners of the wheels are rounded or beveled off, as shown at 19, and that the teeth 17 terminate short of the outer faces of the Wheels. Said wheels also have central recesses 20, in which are located washers 21, the outer faces of which are ilu-sh with the outer faces of the wheels. The Washers are provided with tapered and angular projections 22 that fit in the sockets 15, and said washers are heldin the projection and are screwed into the inner endsk of the studs 14. It will thus be seen that the wheels extend but a comparatively slight distance outside the side members of the frame, that their corners are rounded and that the fastening means for said wheels j do not project beyond the outer faces thereof.

. The means for ropelling the machine consists of a handle lncluding a bar 24 having a cross arm 25 at one end, forming handle grips. Secured tothe other end of this bar 1s a bail including side arms 26 that are disposed in parallel relation, and have inwardly extending alined portionsr27, bolted as shown at 28 to the bar 24. The side arms 26 have their lower ends pivotally connected as shown at 29 to the outer sides of the side frame members 10 and thepivotal connecsectional view on the line.4`4 of- Fi 3. Fi 5 is a detail perspective view, of the 10111.'-

standing stud 14 having an angular and ta-V 1 justably) mounted in any desired manner, the

. relation to the shaft, and eac 1 has its central portion curved or bowed rearwardly with respect to its direction of movement, as shown at The ends of the blades operate in close proximity to the inner sides of the frame members 10, and yare secured to the shaft by -spider brackets 34 having hub por tions 35. The central or bowed portions 33 are also secured to the shaft b a similar spider bracket 36. -The ends of t 1e shaft are journaled in split bushings 37 that are located in inwardly extending bosses 38 formed upon thelrame members 10,- these bushings having flanges 39 at their inner ends and of the same diameter as the hubs 35 ofthe end spider brackets 34. The bushings furthermore are provided with lugs 40 that are en gaged in notches 41 formedin the inner ends of the bosses 38, as illustrated in Fig. 3, such lugs thus reventing the rotation of the bushings. n order to take up the wear between the shaft and bushing, a setscrew 42 is threaded through each boss 38, and bears against the bushing located therein, as will be clear by reference to Fig. 1. The joints between the hubs 35 of the end s ider brackets 34 and the flanges 39 of the ushings, are covered by guard sleeves 43 that surround the same, and are interposed between the spider brackets and the bosses. lhese guard sleeves eliminate to a very material degree the danger of grass and like ma. terial becoming wrapped around the journal bearings.

The ends of the shaft 31 project within the driving wheels 16, and j ournaled thereon are pinions 44, the teeth of which mesh with the internal gear teeth 18 of said drivin wheels. By reference to Figs. 2 and 7, it will e noted that these pinions have inwardly extending lugs 45 forming seats 46 between them. Each lug is formed on one side with a sharp abutment ortion 47, While its other side has a curve portion 48. Each end of the shaft is furthermore providedA with a transverse socket 49 extending therethrough, and located within the pinions. The portions of the shaft on diagonally opposite sides of the sockets 49 are cut away to form seats 50. A dog 51 is mounted ineach socket, and has a longitudinal and a lateral movement therein. Each dog is provided with oppositel disposed terminal hooks -52, one side o each ook having a sharp abutment portion 53 gage over and rest a ainst the adjacent seat 50. 'lhe projecting rook is thus located in onel of the seats 46 of the pinion, and in a position to be struck by either the sharp abutment portion 47 or the curved portion 48 accordingly as the pinion revolves in one direction ortho other. It will thus be evident thaty with this construction, if the mower is propelled forwardly, one of the abutment portions 47 will strike the abutment portion 53 of the projecting hook, thus carrying the bill of said hook into the cutaway seat 50, and locking the pinion and shaft together, so that saidsh'aft, and consequently the cutter will be revolved. On the other hand, if the machine is drawn rearwardly, the curved )ortion 48 will strike the curved portion 54 of the dog, and i'irst swing the same rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the shaft, after which said hook will be forced into the socket 49, while the opposite hook will be projected, but immediately the curved portion of said other hook will Abe struck by one of the curved' portions 48 of the pinion, and the dog will be returned. Conse uently, the pinion will be unclutched from t 1e shaft, and will rotate independently thereof.

The rear ends4 of the frame members 10 are provided in their outer sides with upright dovetailed guide-ways 55, and in the same are slidably mounted carriages comprisin lates 56 having inwardly extending journa boxes 57 at their lower ends, and inwardly extending ears 58 at their upper ends. In the boxes are journaled the gudgeons 59 of a gage`roller 60. An adjusting screw 61 is threaded into each ear 58, and is journaled as shown at 62 in the upper portion of the corres onding frame member 10. The upper end of this screw has an actuating thumb piece 63, over which engages a clip 64 that normally prevents the turning of this screw, said clip being hinged, as illustrated at 65 to the frame member. Each plate 56is provided with a scale, as shown in Fig. 2, and each frame member has .an indicating mark 66 thereon. To gage the cut of the machine therefore, it 1s only necessary to swing the holding clips 54 out of engagement with the thumb-pieces 63, and rotate the screws, whereupon the carriages will be removed so as to raise or lower the rear ends of the ieces 10 until the desired height of the edfrer blade above the surface of the ground is o tained. The scales are important, in order to obtain a like adjustment for both ends I '55 that is arranged to coact with the abutment of the gage roller.

For the purpose. of conveniently carrying j journaled v'on the Aouter sides of the side the necessary implements ofthe machine, the handle bar24 is provided in its opposite sides with recessed seats 67, which respectively re'ceive a wrench 68 and an oil can 69. These are held in place by suitable spring clips `70 that extend over the seats so that 'they will enga e the implements and main- A io,

tain them in p ace,while permitting of their ready detachment whenneeded.A

-It willbe 'evident that a machine when, thus constructed, is compact and serviceable.

' l The operating mechanism and bearings for the rotary cutter are incomplex, reliable, and durable. The. means for adjusting the gage roller is also simple, and is believed to be an v,important feature of the machine. Particular attention, however, is invited to the arrangement of the driving wheels, the handle connection, and the relation of the rotary cutter thereto. As alreadyvnoted, the driV.- ing wheels are very narrow. Their outer margins are beveled or rounded, and the fastening means do not project beyond their outer faces. vAs a consequence, the machine can be operated close to'trees or other obstructions, and will not injure. the same. Moreover, the handles being connected outside the framemembers, and in rear of the wheels, are not in the wa of the cutter, and the ends of the `cuttin b ades can be placed in close proximity tot e framemembers and wheels so that very narrow tracks of uncut grass are passed over b the machine. Moreover the connections o the handle below and in rear of the axis of rotation of the driving wheels prevent the machine being tilted upwardly when meeting with resistance in long or tough grass.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my inveni tion, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lawn mower, the combination witha frame having spaced side members,

-of wheels 'ournaled on the outer sides ofvthe side mem ers, a handle having a ivotal connection with the outer sides of t e side members in rear of' the wheels and below their axis of rotation, and a revoluble cutter driven by the wheels and having its ends operating directly adjacent to the inner sides of .said side members. V

2. 1n a lawn mower, the combination with a frame having spaced side members, of narrow peripherally toothed driving wheels `through the boss and engaging members, saidwheels having their outer corners rounded and having' peripheral teeth terminating short ofthe outer faces of said wheels, a handle including a bail having parallel side arms hinged at their lower ends to the outer sides of the' frame members in rear of thc wheels and below their axis of rotation, and a revoluble cutter located between the side members and driven by the wheels, said cutter having its endsoperating directly adjacent to the inner sides of the side members. J'

3.- In a lawn mower, the j combination with .a frame having -a boss. and a notch in the inner end of said boss, of a driving wheel journaled on the frame, va split bushing `located in the boss and having a flange at its inner end, said lange having a lug engaged in the notch of the boss, a set screw threaded j the bushing, a rotatable cutter havin aft journaled in the bushing and a ub that operates alongside the flange, and means mounted onV the shaft outside the bushing and driven by4 the wheel for rotating the shaft.

4. In a lawn mower, the combination with a frame, of a driving wheel 'ournaled on the frame, a shaft journaled in t e frame, rotary cutter blades, means connecting the blades to the shaft, and a guard sleeve surrounding the shaft and being interposed be-v tween said blade connecting means andthe inner side ofl the firame, and extending across the space therebetween to revent rrass wrap ing about the shaft, sai( sleevcf eing free om the shaft.

5. 1n a lawn mower, v:the combination with a frame having an inwardly extending boss, of a driving wheel journaled on the outer side of the frame, a bushing located in the boss and held against rotation, said bushing having a flange located at the inner end of the boss, a rotar Vcutter including a shaft journaled in the ushing, cutter blades surrounding the shaft, and as ider bracket securing the blades to the sha t and having a boss directly associated with the ilange of the bushing, driving means connecting the driving wheel and the shaft, and a guard sleeve interposed betweent the boss, and spider bracket and surrounding the hub of said bracket and the 'langeof the bushing.

6. In a lawn mower, the combination with a frame having an upright substantiall dovetailed guide-way, of; cutting mec anism' journaled in the frame, al substantially dovetailed late slidably mounted in the guide-way,'sai AIV'plate having a journal box and an ofTset ear spaced from the journal box, a screw journaled in the frame and having a threaded engavement with the ear of the plate, said screw having an actuating head, a holding cli hinged to the frame and engaging over the ead to prevent the rotation of the screw, and a age roller rotatably projecting end of the bushing, and a ard mounted in the journal box of the plate. sleeve loosely surrounding the hub an pro- 7.' In a lawn mower, the combination jecting end of said bushing. with a frame having a boss, of an adjustable In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as 15 5 bushinY located in the boss and projecting my own, I have hereto alxedmy signature bleyonc the linlner erd tthe'leof, a vdriving f in thefpresence of two witnesses. s la t journa ec in t e us ing, a (riving wheel journaled on the frame and havinga JAMES HENRY FREY ear connection with the shaft, cutter l Witnesses: 10 lades, a spider securing the blades to the EMILY J. KEITH,

shaft and having a hub adjacent tothe inner JAMES M. ALTON. 

